Not only do cranberries taste great, they contain a variety of nutrients that are part of healthy diet.
Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables, including cranberries and acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Additionally, vitamin C helps the immune system protect the body from disease, and is essential in the body’s creation of collagen, which heals wounds. A serving of cranberries provides 22 percent of your daily-recommended vitamin C.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient that acts as an antioxidant in the body. The body needs vitamin E to boost its immune system, and to help widen blood vessels and keep blood from clotting within them.
Fiber provides many health benefits including helping maintain a healthy weight and lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease. And good news for cranberry lovers, a serving of sweetened dried cranberries provides 12 percent of your body’s daily-recommended fiber.
Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals when they are formed. Although the human body is capable of producing antioxidants naturally, fruits and vegetables - including cranberries - provide an excellent source of additional antioxidants. According to the largest USDA study of the antioxidant content of food, cranberries are among the top five foods with the highest antioxidant content per serving.
Proanthocyanidins are a specific type of plant pigment - or flavonoid - in cranberries that provides urinary tract benefits by interfering with the ability of E. coli to cause infections.
Polyphenols include several classes of phytonutrients, including flavanols found in cranberries, that are naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables. In addition to their antioxidant capacity, polyphenols have been shown to provide protection from some bacterial pathogens, cancer, cardiovascular disease and inflammation.
Learn more about the health properties of cranberries from the Cranberry Institute.
